January 04, 2013

US: Dengue fever no longer a threat in Seminole and Osceola counties

Health officials in Seminole and Osceola counties lifted illness advisories for dengue fever on Friday, saying the risk of residents becoming infected with the disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, has significantly decreased because of the colder weather.

"We're still recommending that people take precautions against mosquitoes, but cold temperatures — and when we get freezes — really helps kill off the bugs," said Dain Weister, spokesman for the Seminole County Health Department.

Both counties issued the illness advisories in October after a 19-year-old Seminole man and a 41-year-old Osceola woman were diagnosed with dengue fever. The two were thought to be the first cases of locally acquired dengue fever in Central Florida in nearly 50 years.

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Health officials in Seminole and Osceola counties lifted illness advisories for dengue fever on Friday, saying the risk of residents becoming infected with the disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, has significantly decreased because of the colder weather.

"We're still recommending that people take precautions against mosquitoes, but cold temperatures — and when we get freezes — really helps kill off the bugs," said Dain Weister, spokesman for the Seminole County Health Department.

Both counties issued the illness advisories in October after a 19-year-old Seminole man and a 41-year-old Osceola woman were diagnosed with dengue fever. The two were thought to be the first cases of locally acquired dengue fever in Central Florida in nearly 50 years.